


Old Secrets

by MaggiesAngel



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Winter Soldier (movie)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Dark Past, F/M, Knotting, Past Relationship(s), Rutting, Secrets, Sex, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-03-29 13:11:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19020613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaggiesAngel/pseuds/MaggiesAngel
Summary: Aster has worked for SHIELD for the last two years, on loan to Stark Industries. Not a day goes by where she doesn't wonder when it's all going to end, even more when the Super Soldiers put together a secret about her. The Avengers confronting her brings explosive consequences.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Slightly AU in that Jarvis is still around, Bucky has been to Wakanda and healed mentally, living with the Avengers. They are at the compound, not at the Tower. I've chosen not to include Wanda or Vision in this work.

“C’mon, Aster,” Clint urged as she opened the truck door. “You’re just as beat up as Nat and I are. Come back to the compound, let Banner patch you up.”

She stepped from the SUV and turned to grin at the pair. “I promise, I’ve patched myself up from far worse,” she said with a grin. “It’s just some bumps and scratches anyway, nothing that bad.”

Natasha rolled down her window and leaned on the frame, eyeing the other woman. “We still on for training tomorrow afternoon?”

Aster nodded at the alpha. “Absolutely. Now get going.” She continued into the Tower and up to her room, where she inspected herself in the mirror. The bruises were fading and would soon be gone entirely; the rib she suspected was broken would be healed within a few hours. Aster knew the other two would be checking in with their superiors, and expected Fury to call to debrief her soon; she rarely went out to the Avenger’s compound if she could help it. Her job was mainly at Stark Tower, but she helped Natasha and Clint from time to time, enjoying the banter between the assassins.

Her phone rang, and Aster answered when she saw Fury’s name. “Director, right on time. How’s things?”

*****

“I thought of something last night that I needed to tell you,” Barnes said as he set down his coffee cup. He watched his best friend turn to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh yeah? What’s up?” Steve asked while he leaned back against the kitchen counter. Things had started to settle at the compound with the addition of the old alpha, but Steve knew Bucky was uneasy and taking things slow when the others were around.

“Someone else has made it through all this time, looking the same, well mostly the same. But I don’t know how,” Barnes started. When the blond frowned at him, Bucky shook his head with a frown. “I’ve seen Tia.”

Steve startled at the mention of the omega and stared, then shook his head in response. “Nah, can’t have been her, Buck. Daughter, maybe?”

“No, Steve, I’m telling you, it’s her,” Bucky argued, running a hand through his hair. “She smells…different. But she tried a few times over the years to get me away from Hydra; kept trying to jog my memory. And…”

When his voice died off, Steve frowned and straightened. “And what?”

Barnes let out a heavy sigh. “It’s gonna sound crazy,” he admitted.

“We’re almost a hundred years old, buddy,” Steve said with a laugh. “And look at us. I’ve fought next to a Norse god, and you’ve seen what Doctor Banner can do. I’m not so sure there  _ is _ a crazy for us anymore.”

Joining in the laughter, Bucky nodded. “All right, I’ll agree with you there; we’re not exactly the poster boys for ordinary, are we?” Barnes stood and paced as he thought about how to word what he wanted to say. “Tia, she’s… She doesn’t look completely the same, Steve. Her face has changed, but it’s subtle, and if I hadn’t seen her between then and now, I would have missed it, I think. But it’s more than that. I watched her do things with electricity. I’ve never seen anything like it; it’s different from what Thor does. She took down Hydra agents, and when I got them back to be examined, doctors said they’d been electrocuted with high voltages. All she ever did was touch them.”

“You said she looked different? How?” Steve asked, a concentrated look on his face.

Bucky gave a soft smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Her hair is a different colour, but I know that doesn’t mean much; it’s changed nearly every time I’ve seen her,” he started, frowning as he tried to remember. “Her cheeks are a little higher, her nose is straighter… It’s the strangest things. Her eyes even seem a little bit brighter, but they’re still grey with…”

“With hazel around her iris,” Steve finished with him, running a hand through his hair. “Son of a bitch, I think I’ve been working with her for the last few years and didn’t even know!”

“You’re kidding?” Bucky asked in surprise.

Steve rubbed his forehead and laughed softly. “She’s not blonde anymore and wears her hair loose, it only reaches her shoulders now; nothing like when we knew her during the war,” he explained. “I was so used to that long, pale blonde hair… But with what you’ve said about her face changing… I always thought she was familiar, but I couldn’t place her. She goes by a new name now, it isn’t Tia anymore, and she’s not wearing a uniform.”

“How does that work?” Bucky interjected.

“I’m honestly not sure. She’s been working with Nat and Clint, going on missions with them. She reports back Fury or Hill, and she doesn’t come on the bigger assignments. But… She doesn’t smell quite like Tia,” Steve replied in soft confusion. He let out a long sigh and studied his best friend. “Aster always smelled familiar, but I couldn’t figure out why; she’s a beta, or at least presenting as one. C’mon, we need to talk to the others before we talk to her. Dammit, I should have seen this.”

“I haven’t seen her out here at the compound?” Bucky asked as the men moved off to speak with the rest of the group.

“Because she stays almost exclusively at Stark Tower,” Steve replied. “Probably to stay away from me, and even more so since you got here.” Glancing up at the ceiling, he said, “Jarvis, tell everyone I need them in the lab right away.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Steve glanced at his best friend as they walked and shook his head with a small grin. “This is gonna get interesting.”

*****

Aster worked on the tablet as she walked down the hallway, not even glancing up as the elevator doors opened. She had been working at the tower for so long now, the other staff went about doing their own jobs and rarely interacted with her unless they needed something. Stark had given her free reign on a lot of things, though she knew it drove Happy nearly insane; she kept to none of his rules on how to dress the part of being on Stark’s payroll. And, if he brought it up to her, she would casually remind him that she actually worked for SHIELD, and was on-loan to Tony, so she would continue to wear what she wanted. The thought made her grin as she glanced down; today was faded blue jeans, a scarlet tee-shirt, and a leather jacket didn’t match the pressed suits that had been passing her by all morning.

“Aster.” The voice sounded behind her.

She swallowed and put a smile on her face when she turned, already recognizing the scent of who was standing behind her. “Captain Rogers,” Aster greeted cheerily. “What brings you to the city?”

“I had a few errands to run, and thought I’d drop in and see how things were going here,” he replied and offered a small shrug. “And how many times do I have to ask you to call me Steve?”

Aster studied him covertly, looking for any signs of recognition, watched as he stared at her, and offered her own shrug to him. “What can I say? Something about having a legendary hero in front of me brings out the title,” she replied and continued to walk through into the living area with the wall of windows. “Is there anything I can help you with? I had a few things I was in the middle of…”

“Actually, I was hoping we could talk,” he replied seriously. “Tia.”

The name brought her to a quick stop, and she looked up to see the four exits to the room suddenly blocked by the Avengers. Aster pressed a hidden button on the tablet’s case and immediately, her cell phone started to ring. She answered it with her left hand, her body tense, as she lifted the phone to her ear. “Jackson,” she said steadily while she turned in a slow circle so she could keep an eye on everyone around her.

“What’s happened?”

Aster felt relief that Hill had responded so fast but kept her face neutral. “Hey, Maria. How’s things?”

“Are you safe?” Hill asked quickly.

“Damn, I forgot we were supposed to do lunch today. No, it’s not going to work; something’s come up in my schedule unexpectedly, sorry,” Aster replied quickly. Her right hand still held the tablet, and she bent as she turned, pressing another button to wipe it clean and scramble its contents before she dropped it to the ground. She kept her breathing even, calculated, loosened the muscles in her body, and watched to see who might be thinking of making the first move on her.

“Do I need to come, or send a team?” Maria asked.

Aster could hear the other woman moving through the phone, and she forced an upbeat voice. “No, I’m sure tomorrow should work out fine,” she assured. “Although, we may have to go out for dinner and a movie, Maria. Something a little later. Once it’s dark out.”

“Shit,” Hill replied somberly.

“I’ll keep you posted when we talk later to sort out the details,” Aster added. She knew other woman knew what going dark meant; and though she didn’t want to until Aster knew what the others had planned, that option couldn’t be ruled out.

Maria let out a deep sigh. “I expect you to check in within a half hour,” she said firmly.

“Absolutely,” she replied brightly. “I’ll call you soon, and we can figure out where we want to go to eat.”

Aster hung up the phone and held it away from her body, both hands visible, and glanced over her shoulder at Stark as she spun. “So, to what do I owe the honour of all of the Avengers coming to see me? Was it something I said, Anthony?”

“Oh, there’s  _ that _ , for one,” he agreed. “But truthfully, this party had nothing to do with me. I probably wouldn’t have realized a thing for a while yet, if they hadn’t brought it up.”


	2. Chapter 2

Aster gritted her teeth, her eyes looking between the two Super Soldiers; they had stationed themselves at opposite sides of the room, she noted, and it drew a humourless snort from her. “I thought you might recognize me, Tony, but the chances were slim; you were young and preoccupied,” she said with a small quirk of her lips. “And staying here, making it easier to avoid time with you. But Mary-Kate and Ashley…” Aster let out a long sigh and looked between the group, her eyes landing on each of the Soldiers for a few seconds each as she studied the others as well.

There were three exits, each covered by an alpha; Steve, Bucky, and Natasha, then the elevator, where Clint and Tony had stationed themselves, each of the beta’s dominant enough themselves, and together formed a united front. The final member of the team, Bruce, was a beta, who stood uncertainly right behind Natasha, watching everything with an uncertain look on his face. Aster took in the scene as she continued to turn and sighed. “Spending time with Nat and Clint, it was easier to avoid you, Steve. I could see you scenting when I’d get to close; you thought you recognized me, but I’m not quite the same as when you used to know me, so I’d stay away and it would blow over,” she explained. “I’m glad you found Barnes, I am. But you just  _ had _ to bring him back to the compound. You just couldn’t leave it alone.”

“Why do you keep moving, Aster?” Banner asked with a frown.

“She’s not sure we aren’t a threat to her yet,” Clint replied with a sigh.

“And so, she’s trying to keep her attention spread wide, to see where the threat might be coming from,” Natasha woman in the group finished. The redhead crossed her arms as she leaned in the doorway where she stood and nodded at the phone in Jackson’s hand. “How long before Hill wants you to check in, Aster?”

She glanced down at the phone and shook her head, a humourless smile on her face. “I think that's privileged information for the moment,” she replied and tucked the phone in her jacket pocket, keeping her hand protectively around it. “Until I know  _ precisely _ what the plans are here”

“Aster, we’d never hurt you,” Natasha replied with a frown.

The brunette snorted and grimaced. “Yeah, I’ve heard that before.” Aster wanted to believe the woman she had been fighting alongside for the last two years, but right now, she simply couldn’t; too much was at stake.

Steve cleared his throat; what she had just said disturbed him, but he wanted to keep her talking. “You didn’t avoid me completely, but you’ve made sure we didn’t spend a lot of time together,” he said while he stepped closer. He watched her shoulders tense as she whirled to face him; he froze and held his hands out to his sides to show he meant no harm.

“The innocent look would come across a lot better if I didn’t know exactly what you can do, Boy Scout,” Aster growled at the alpha. “So  _ back. Up _ .” She watched him take a few steps away to placate her before she continued to turn, her eyes quickly seeking out the other Super Soldier to make certain he hadn’t moved while she was preoccupied. No one knew better than Aster just how quickly he could move.

“Aren’t you dizzy yet?” Banner asked with a frown, watching as she switched directions but continued to spin.

“You’d be surprised, Doctor,” she replied with a wry grin. “Training allows you to get used to a lot.”

“You’ve been careful with all of your injuries,” Stark groused at her. “And refused to let Bruce tend to you at all. I can’t crack your records; hell, even Jarvis can’t. So, what the hell is going on with you.”

“You’re just too damned smart for your own good, Anthony,” she murmured at the beta softly. “Always made your father proud of that.”

“Okay, see that?  _ That _ , right there,” Stark said, pointing a finger at her. “What is that?”

Aster sighed and shrugged. “What do you want me to say, Stark? I’m sure you’ve already talked to Mary-Kate and Ashley.” She glanced between the soldiers, a frown firmly in place. “I knew if I spent too much time with you, you’d place me eventually, Rogers; I’m kind of insulted it took you this long, honestly, but glad too. I look different, worked hard to make sure I did, but Barnes… He’s seen me recently.” Aster growled, the hand in her pocket released her phone unobtrusively and slipped on the connected rings hiding there onto her knuckles. “I knew… I  _ knew _ you’d tell Steve eventually that I was still around, and together you’d put the pieces into place. I should have left the minute you brought Bucky to the compound, but dammit I liked having a home again. Guess it couldn’t last forever, though, could it?”

Aster knew it was a bad idea, knew it was going to hurt like hell, but it was the only way out. Two long running-strides towards the window, she braced her hands in front of her face, the rings connected to form brass knuckles; except they were stronger. The window shattered and she went through head-first. The move was so fast, so unexpected, no one in the room expected her to do it and no one had time to stop her.

She tucked and flipped mid-air; Aster caught the flagpole part way down and rolled over it, used it to fling herself farther away from Stark Tower and out, onto a neighbouring building’s balcony. Aster somersaulted as she landed and came to her feet, held the power button on her phone for a few seconds before she tossed it into oblivion over the ledge. She climbed onto the railing before she jumped into the air again.

Jackson took a deep breath just before she hit the ground; the impact forced all the air from her lungs as she bounced and barrel-rolled along the grass in the park. She barely took a second to blink before she forced herself to her feet, brushed herself off, and started to run. Aster knew the others had watched her initial jump, and Stark or Banner had likely watched the entire thing; even now they were probably extrapolating her most likely landing. She wanted to be as far away as possible when they figured it out. Though this emergency exit had been planned for a long time, she had hoped to never have to use it.

Aster avoided the street cameras and found the underground parking garage where she stored her bike; the one SHIELD didn’t know about. A footlocker was hidden there with fresh clothes, a full-face helmet, new ID; all things she would need to start over. Changing quickly, she French-braided her hair to keep it out of her way under the helmet and zipped up her now purple biker jacket, pulling onto the street cautiously.

When there were no signs of the Avengers, she pulled slowly out into traffic and joined the flow, her mind whirling as she thought over her options of how to get out of the city. Aster knew the fastest routes out of Manhattan were the Lincoln Tunnel or the Queen’s Midtown Tunnel; but if she headed to Queen’s, both Rogers and Barnes would have an advantage at finding her since it was so close to Brooklyn and where they grew up. Though she had spent enough time there, she knew the soldiers would still know it better. Sighing to herself, Aster knew the group would expect her to head to Jersey for those exact reasons. Gritting her teeth, she took the route towards Queens.

Aster was halfway through the underground tunnel when she heard another motorcycle’s engine reverberating off the tunnel walls. Though she knew it could be anyone, her gut clenched. She glanced in her side mirror and saw a sleek black bike that was quickly catching up; the rider wore a full-face helmet, but long dark hair peeked from the bottom, and the left hand gripping the handle was black metal. Bucky was behind her. She knew, if anyone would have tracked her down, it would be him; it was always him that found her.

Traffic was light, but Aster didn’t want to fight the alpha in the tunnel; it would create innocent casualties. She accelerated and sped around traffic, knew he followed close behind, but chose not to engage. Jackson knew, while they were under the river and buried in concrete, Barnes couldn’t notify anyone that he had found her, but the moment they were outside, it would be broadcast loud and clear. It would be only a matter of time after that before the entire team descended on her.

Aster shook her head to keep it clear; knew it was the only way she might be able to stay free today. When the end of the tunnel began to lighten, he was relieved to see no one waiting for her. Jackson gunned the engine, cut across traffic and headed off-road, straight for Hunters Point. Aster knew she could hold her breath longer than most, other than maybe Tony’s suit; if she could make it to the East River, she could probably escape the team.

The sound of tires squealed behind her, horns blared, and it let Aster know that Barnes wasn’t far behind. She wasted no time in looking for him; she ran lights, over sidewalks, used cars as springboards to launch herself airborne and over any obstacle that stood in her way, determined to escape the alpha.

When the terrain became too rough for the bike, Aster abandoned it and ran on foot. She knew she had to be fast; Barnes had chased her before, and they were nearly evenly matched. Today, she had to be faster.

Aster was feet from the rocks, just about to reach the water when she felt a hand close around her upper arm. She struggled, but the metal fingers gripped her tighter and she struck out, drove her elbow back into his solar plexus. She felt Bucky struggle, bend over slightly, and with all her strength, she kicked back with her heel and felt it connect with the soft tissue of his crotch. She heard his pained grunt, but his hand never let her go.

The sound of an engine overhead distracted Aster and she glanced up to see Stark in his suit closing in, it was enough to let Barnes get an arm around her neck. She tried to fight her way out of the choke hold and whispered, “Please. Please just let me go. Don’t make me go back.”

“They’re your friends, Doll,” he replied, using the old nickname from when they had first met. “We all are. No one is going to hurt you.”

Aster slammed her head back into his, his hold releasing, and she got to her feet to face him. Stark circled around behind her, making her divide her attention, the water at her back, and she stared between the men. “I’ll be shoved into another lab,” she growled and shook her head. “And I won’t live like that again!”

“No one is talking about labs,” Tony said in confusion as he lowered to the ground, glancing at Barnes, who looked grim.

Aster shook her head and pulled a gun from her back to shoot next to Stark. It was enough to distract him, and she turned to run towards the river again. Barnes ran after her, but Tony shot her with a blast from his hand; it knocked her unconscious and Bucky caught her just before she hit the ground.

*****


	3. Chapter 3

Aster awoke slowly, aware that the ground beneath her was hard, but not cold; the temperature was carefully regulated. She could hear shuffling and the door clicked closed, but knew she was not alone from the sound of even breathing across the room. She knew from his scent who had stayed. “You may as well go too, Bucky,” she said as she opened her eyes.

“I didn’t want you to wake up alone,” he replied gently.

“What difference does it make?” Aster asked as she pushed herself up to sit against the wall and looked around. They were at the Avengers compound now, rather than the Tower; keeping her in a windowless room. The observation brought a humourless smile to her face; at least someone had taken a cue from her dramatic exit and took no chances of her trying to escape. “I’m back to being a guinea pig again.”

“That’s not what’s going on,” he assured.

“No. No, of course not,” she snarked. “I spent years with Hydra poking and prodding at me, you know that. I’ve been locked in enough rooms, Bucky. I shouldn’t have to be locked in another one.”

“They just have some questions.”

“And my jumping out a window wasn’t enough of a hint that I didn’t want to give them answers?” she countered, her body tensed as she pushed herself to a crouched position, one hand on the floor for balance.

Barnes held his hands in front of his body and shook his head at the omega in front of him, knowing what she was planning. “Aster don’t do this,” he pleaded softly. “Even if you get out of this room, you won’t make it out of the building.”

“You know I can’t just give up,” she replied, voice a sad whisper. “You chased me down often enough when I got away from Hydra… You above _everyone_ should know, I’ll never give up.”

Aster launched herself at him, even when she heard a voice, Steve’s voice in the speakers above her as he begged her to stop. Bucky did not want to hurt her, was on the defensive, but though she knew that he and the others were not technically her enemy. She simply needed out.

Bucky faked to her left and managed to wrangle her into a choke hold again, wrapping his legs around her lower body, when he felt the tiny hairs along his skin begin to prickle. He grunted and said, “Don’t do this, Doll; it’s not gonna end well.”

“I can’t stay here,” she breathed and built the power level higher. “And _stop_ calling me that!”

“You’re panicking and not thinking clearly,” he reasoned. “Don’t make me do this, Aster.” He waited, felt the power reach what he knew was near where she would strike out at him, and slipped his left hand - his metal hand - under the collar of her tank top to lay flat against her chest. It rested just under her collarbone, right against her skin.

The feeling of the metal there brought a sense-memory to Aster, and she tried to reign her power back in, but it was too late. The energy burst from her body and ran into Bucky’s, but the metal of his arm acted like a lightning rod and slammed it back into her, concentrated against her chest. A scream burst from her lips before she passed out in his arms.

The door to the room flew open a moment later and the others rushed in; Bucky had settled to sit against the wall, Aster’s head resting against his thighs as he stroked her hair.

“What the _hell_ was that? We lost the video feed,” Stark demanded.

Barnes sighed and looked up sadly. “It’s why I didn’t want anyone else in the room when she woke up; if she pulled that out, it would’ve hurt the rest of you,” he explained. “Or, sorry, Doc, pissed off the other guy.”

Banner nodded in understanding, then looked closer. “Are those burns?” he asked with concern as he stepped closer, inspecting her chest.

“The energy got forced back into her through my arm. Residuals ran through the walls and burned out the camera feeds, but it always ends up burning her skin, yeah. The burns will heal fast; give it an hour, they’ll be gone. And she’ll be out for a little while.”

“I should still cover them,” Bruce said and quickly disappeared.

“Buck, what _was_ that?” Steve asked softly. “I don’t remember Tia ever being able to do that…”

Barnes shook his head and met his best friend’s eyes with a heavy sigh as Banner reappeared and began to gently cover the burns. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “The first time she tried to break me free of Hydra, I watched her kill one of them just by touching them. I overheard the doctors say it was electrocution, and when they debriefed me, and I told them what I saw…” His face fell as he thought back to what he was like back then. “The scientists were fascinated and watched to study her. They sent teams after her; they all died.”

“ _Bozhe moi_ ,” Nat muttered. The redhead muttered and knelt near Aster’s head to gently stroke the brunette’s hair. “She said she was a guinea pig?”

“Hydra wanted to take her apart, but she heals quickly, which also fascinated them. And once they realized she was trying to get me out…”

“They used you to hunt her down,” Stark guessed, voice soft when Bucky’s died off.

Barnes stared up at him and nodded slightly. The relationship between the men was tenuous but improving. “She kept killing anyone else; once Hydra realized Aster was reluctant to kill me, I was the only one they would send.”

“And you never hurt her?” Clint asked, voice soft and carefully neutral.

Bucky knew the spies were protective of Aster after having worked with her, but he understood; he and Steve still saw the woman they knew and Barnes’ own protective streak flared. “I didn’t want to hurt her, but...” Barnes replied and he grimaced, not elaborating. “She seems capable of controlling the level of energy she’s producing; I think she uses a higher level to try and stun me than she would to incapacitate someone else, but not enough to kill me. Steve, I don’t know how many times she tried to get me out. And any time I started recognizing her, or she started to get through to me, they put me under and wiped me again.”

He felt Aster twitch ever so slightly in his lap, and Bucky motioned everyone to back away. The group fell into a tense silence, but he let out a sigh of relief when she relaxed again. “It’s all right; muscle spasm. Still, you should all go. I don’t know for sure how long this will keep her out.”

“You need to get some food, Buck,” Steve observed. “Take a break, you haven’t left since we brought her back.” When the other man started to argue, Rogers raised his hand. “I’ll stay with her. The injuries might slow her down if she panics, but even if it doesn’t, I don’t think a blast like that will do much damage to me if it doesn’t do much to you.”

“I force it back into her body with my arm; that’s the difference, Punk,” Bucky reminded.

“And I’d rather not find out,” Stark added with a frown.

“Still my call guys,” Steve insisted. “Go. Try and see if you can figure things out. I’ll stay here with…Aster.” He frowned slightly; in his mind, despite her physical differences, he still wanted to call her Tia. No matter what had happened to her, the omega in sleeping in front of him was still his friend.

*****


	4. Chapter 4

She whimpered where she lay on the floor, her body stiffening as she sucked in a deep breath. Steve watched her warily, uncertain how she would react, and moved to one knee from where he was sitting just in case. “Easy, Tia; you’re safe.”

“So, did Barnes have to tell you, or did you figure it out all on your own?” she asked as she opened her eyes.

“When Bucky said he’d seen you, I didn’t believe him at first,” Steve admitted. “Then he described how you looked different, that your face had changed slightly. You’d looked so familiar all this time, Aster. And your scent, it’s not quite the same. But your eyes… Suddenly, I knew this morning, before we…”

“Cornered me?”

“Tried to talk to you,” he corrected with a frown. “I thought calling you Tia might help keep you calm.”

Aster pulled herself up to sit against the wall and felt the tape on her chest; she glanced down and knew Bruce had tended to her. Pulling off the bandage she folded it and set it aside, revealing smooth skin underneath; she had healed. “You’re keeping me prisoner, Steve. Nothing is going to help.”

“That isn’t true,” he argued.

She snorted and looked up to meet his eyes across the room, then up at the cameras which she knew had been repaired from her earlier energy burst, then stared at the door. “I’m in a concrete room, which is reinforced by vibranium. It’s designed for keeping in the Hulk if he gets loose. Don’t think I don’t know that,” she replied, voice dark, turning back to him. “I ran, and all of you decided I wasn’t allowed to leave, so you dragged me back. All because I didn’t want to answer your questions. If I tried to get up and leave, I wouldn’t be allowed. Tell me; what is your definition of a prisoner, Captain Rogers? Because mine is pretty fucking close to that. And I’ve been one often enough to know.”

“And what if someone else figures all of this out?” Steve tried to sound as reasonable as he could to counter the anger in her voice. He watched her body closely, but so far, she had stayed with all of her muscles relaxed, despite her scent changing; the room filled the obvious scent of distress and anger.

“You really think it’d be any different than when Hydra had me? And do you  _ honestly  _ think they’re the only ones?” Aster narrowed her eyes and laughed. “The only reason you caught me today, and the only reason Hydra ever caught me, was Bucky. You probably could have found me too; you know me too damned well. But geezuz, Steve, I’m not that easy to catch.”

“Why did you tell Bucky to stop calling you ‘Doll’?” he asked gently. “Is it because of what’s happened between the two of you?”

“What Hydra made him do wasn’t his fault, I know that,” Aster replied, insulted. “It’s because that’s not who I am anymore... Why couldn’t you just let me leave?”

Steve watched her, shaking his head at the sadness in her voice. “It’s not that simple, Aster.”

“ _ Why _ isn’t it?” she pressed, studying him. When she continued to stare at him, the alpha met her eyes, bristling slightly at the challenge in her face. Aster pulled one leg up to curl under herself as she pulled the other up to hug to her chest. “There is so much going on with me you don’t understand; that you will never understand.”

“And that’s the problem.”

She snorted. “Do you really think you know everything about everyone in that other room, Steve?” Aster snapped. “You think every little detail about what Hydra put Bucky through is in his files? That Banner lets you know what’s going on in his head with the Hulk at any given moment? He lives as both a beta and an alpha, and no one questions him about that battle. Do you think you know all there is to know about Romanov’s past? And Stark… Do you really think he keeps you in the loop about what he’s thinking or calculating?”

“Of course not,” he relented.

“Then why does everyone else get to keep their secrets, and I can’t keep mine?”

“Because I know none of their secrets endanger this team.”

Aster’s jaw tightened and she stared at the alpha, a man she had trusted for years, and felt her heart sink even as her one hand drew into a fist. “If I didn’t know it would bring half the room in here with their weapons drawn, I would slap you for that,” she spat at him. “You  _ fucking _ bastard. Do you think I would put any of you at risk? Peggy would be ashamed of you.”

Steve’s back stiffened at the mention of the female alpha from his past; a woman he adored. Had either of them been betas, they would have married; but alphas so rarely found peace in a union together, each too headstrong. His eyes hardened and he felt the first stirring of anger. “I doubt that.”

“Do you  _ really _ ?” she snapped; eyes narrowed as she glared at him. “What do you think happened after you went into the water, Rogers? You think the world just stopped? You think we all just sat around, waiting for our saviour to return?”

“I know it didn’t,” he ground out.

“Then get your head out of your ass! I was fighting with Peggy and Howard before you went into the water, and your disappearance didn’t stop that!” she fumed. “And, for your information, Boy Scout, Peggy knew all about me. So, don’t you _ dare _ think for one single second you knew her better than I did.”

Steve narrowed his eyes and let out a breath, calming as he did. “Peg knew?”

“ _ Of course _ , she knew! I was here, long after you disappeared. What do you think happened when I would get injured? In case you didn’t notice, it doesn’t last long on my skin,” Aster said with a sigh, pointing to her chest and the burn marks that were no longer visible. She stared up at the camera and ran a hand through her hair. “Howard knew too, I couldn’t avoid it; and because he knew, so did Jarvis. All they ever asked me was if it was the same formula Erskine had used on you. When I said it wasn’t, and that no, it couldn’t be applied to anyone else, that was all they needed to know. They respected me enough to recognize I was on their side; fighting for the right side. That was that. Just like, I have never _once_ endangered a single member of this team on a mission, nor have I ever disobeyed an order while on assignment.” Aster glared at him in disgust. “And the fact that you, of all people, could even think that of me?”

“Aster, you have a weapon at your disposal that none of us even knew about, that you admit even Hydra was trying to hunt you down for,” Steve pointed out, trying to reason with her. “What happens if someone else captures you for it? How can we protect you, if we didn’t even know about it? What if they try to use you for it?”

She ran her hands through her hair in frustration. “You’re not listening to me,” Aster said tiredly. “Steve, I’ve had people hunting me before, basically my entire life. This isn’t new. It’s why I don’t share. The less who know, the safer I am. You got lucky today; very few people have ever caught me, and lately, I’ve gotten better at evading. And trust me, I know how to refuse.”

“I’m sure Bucky thought the same before Hydra got to him,” he said softly, knowing his best friend could hear him; he was careful to have no judgment in his voice.

“Do you really think I haven’t been tortured?” Aster whispered, her expression incredulous. And she realized, that was exactly the case; her skin bore no visible scars because of how her body healed, so it never occurred to the alpha, despite her speaking of not wanting to be back in a lab. “Get out, Steve.”

“Aster…” He was frustrated, hurt, and angry himself, but to hear the finality of her words cut him.

“No, get out. I’m tired of talking to you,” she insisted. “If you honestly think that poorly of me now, I have nothing more to say to you. Or any of the rest of them either. Everything could be sorted out between Bucky and Tony, and what happened when he was under Hydra’s influence. As close as we used to be, you can’t trust me now? Even after two years of me fighting with Nat and Clint, without any issues? Then get the hell out, and keep me locked up if you want. But leave me the _fuck_ alone.” Aster shrugged her shoulders and let out a long, exhausted sigh. “In fact; I think right now, the only one I’m willing to talk to is T’Challa.”

Steve stared at her in surprise to hear the Wakandan king’s name. “T’Challa?”

“You really think you’re the only one welcome in Wakanda? Right now, he’s the only one I trust, and the only one I’ll talk to. Don’t bother sending anyone else inside this room,” Aster instructed. She stretched out on the floor onto her side, facing away from him.

Rogers stared at her, glanced up at the cameras, and let out a long sigh as he pushed to his feet. He paused at the door to study her; Aster had dismissed him from her sight and mind, he could see that. In the observation room, he entered to see everyone’s faces looking grim.

“Well, that went well,” Nat commented dryly.

“I thought Wakanda’s borders had been closed for years, until recently?” Tony asked with a frown.

“I don’t know, but we’re not going to get any answers sitting in here,” Steve replied, pulling out his phone. He walked outside into the sun, and let out a relieved sigh when the other end picked up.

“Captain Rogers, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“King T’Challa,” Steve greeted, a small smile at the formalities. “I need your help.”

*****


	5. Chapter 5

Aster lay on her back, her legs propped up the wall, ankles crossed. Her hands were folded across her stomach, and the food Bucky had brought by a few hours ago sat near the door, ignored. She knew at least some, if not all, of the others, watched her still through the cameras, and she wondered if she could use her electrical ability through the concrete on purpose to burn out their feed. It was something she had never done before but hated being watched; she also knew it would only be set back up again, so was a useless thought.

The door opened, and she tilted her head on the floor to see who had come. Even upside down, his fine clothes and dark skin were a welcome sight. Aster rolled to her feet in a smooth move and smiled broadly, clasping his right hand in a firm handshake while they pulled one another into a hug. “T’Challa,” she greeted warmly. “Thank you for coming.”

“It is not every day I get a call from Captain America asking for my help,” he replied with a grin. T’Challa watched as Aster grasped a bead from his bracelet and pressed it gently, then stared hard into his eyes.

When she spoke again, it was in Wakandan. “I know it will only take a minute for Jarvis to realize he cannot break through this, and them to come barging in, but I just want that long to speak,” Aster explained.

In the observation room, Stark growled. “What just happened? Jarvis, what’s going on?”

“I do not know, Sir. I am working on it.”

T’Challa shook his head at her. “You have shown great restraint,” he complimented. “When the Captain explained what had happened, I was surprised you were still here.”

“I don’t want to hurt them,” Aster explained with a sigh. “I’ve known Rogers since before he disappeared seventy years ago, Barnes too. And I can’t get out of here without hurting  _ someone _ . They used to be my friends.”

“They still are, Aster,” T’Challa assured.

“No,” she argued. “Not if they can do this to me. Not if they don’t trust me. And how can I trust them now?” Aster sighed, running her hands through her hair as she paced away. “I don’t know what to do. This has been my home; if I can’t stay here, where do I go?”

“Wakanda will always welcome you; you know that,” he reminded her.

“And put you into a fight with the Avengers,” she reminded him.

The door opened, and the King’s guard stood here with a heavy frown. “They are coming, my King. And they do not look happy,” Okoye warned.

“I knew it wouldn’t last,” Aster said with a sigh. “Thank you.” She watched the group enter and offered a bright smile at Tony as he glared at her, Steve frowned and let out a heavy sigh, while Bucky fought not to smile. “Can I help you?”

“Anything you’d care to share with the rest of the class?” Tony snapped.

“Sorry, the prisoner was just having a consult,” Aster replied with wide eyes. “I didn’t realize it needed to be a public event.”

“Aster, enough,” Natasha said softly.

“Is it?” she countered. “From what I can tell, the interrogations have just begun. I figured the beatings would come next. Who gets to give me those, I wonder?”

“It’s not like that,” Steve insisted, nearly exasperated.

“You have cornered a wild animal, Captain, and wonder why she is on the defensive,” T’Challa cut in, looking around at the group. “How did you try to approach her?”

Aster watched the group fall silent and snorted in response. “You couldn’t even come to me alone, could you, Steve? Not even just you and Bucky? You had to block every exit and not give me the choice not to answer. And when I ran, you locked me up.”

“And yet, you all seem surprised she is responding as she is,” T’Challa chided.

“She’s not an animal,” Bruce said with a frown.

The Wakandan King frowned at him, then around the room. “But if you had tried that approach with Sergeant Barnes?” he wondered, his eyes on the Super Soldier, knowing his past. “How would he have responded, I wonder? Or the assassin?” he continued, turning to the redhead in the room.

“Hell, it probably would’ve had more bloodshed,” Natasha replied with a low chuckle, sparing Aster a grin.

“Exactly my point,” she replied. “I didn’t fight until you tried to force me back; all I did was leave.”

“Taking out a window in the process,” Stark added.

“You blocked every door!” Aster fumed at him.

T’Challa touched her shoulder, and the room watched as she let out a calming breath, before the man turned to look out at the room. “I should tell you if you intend on trying to keep Aster in this room; she is registered as a citizen of Wakanda,” he said softly.

“What does that mean?” Bruce asked in confusion.

Tony snorted and stared at Aster, shaking his head and rubbing at his face. “It means, that if we’re not careful, this could turn into an international incident,” he replied with a dark grimace. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he said, “Shall we move out to the lounge; that is if you’ll be kind enough to stay, Jackson?”

“For the moment,” she replied, narrowing her eyes. “And when I decide I’m leaving, you’d better damn well believe that  _ I. Am. Leaving _ .”

“I think we can all agree on that,” T’Challa replied softly, his gaze hard as he looked around the room.

The group made their way out to the main lounge, Aster walking closely to T’Challa, Okoye close behind. Even then, Aster could feel Bucky and Steve’s gaze boring into her; the alphas had so many questions. The rest of the Avengers surrounded her, and Aster knew it was to ensure she did not try and escape yet; the thought made her tense.

“Calm, Aster,” T’Challa counseled quietly.

She glanced at him and nodded, letting out a long breath. Aster knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to her and felt better with him at her side. “You didn’t bring Shuri?” she asked suddenly.

“I was already away from home; I did not think you wanted me to take the time to go and get her,” he replied with a chuckle. “Time seemed to be of the essence.”

Aster nodded and watched as the group casually fanned out around the room. “Fair enough,” she agreed. Her eyes met Bucky’s where he stood next to Steve this time.

“Can we try talking this time?” Steve asked with a heavy frown, crossing his arms. “That’s all we’ve wanted from the beginning, Aster.”

“You can ask whatever you want. I can’t guarantee what I’ll answer.”

“First of all, what was with Hill? A few minutes after you went out the window, she blew up Nat’s and my phone,” Barton asked, beating everyone else, earning him some glares from around the room.

“I’ve been on enough deep cover missions, that she knows when things go to hell from my voice,” Aster replied with a shrug. “She and Fury know…a lot about me.”

“After dark,” Natasha said with a shake of her head. “She was expecting you to disappear.”

Aster nodded. “She knew it was a possibility.”

“Fury knows…what, exactly?” Stark asked. “Your personnel file is almost non-existent with SHIELD.”

“Because my file isn’t paper or computerized,” she replied with a grin. “I knew Fury back when he started with SHIELD. Our history is personal; I don’t need a file. And how did you manage to cover up this whole fiasco, anyway?”

“Took some fancy footwork,” Stark admitted.

Aster snorted, rolling her eyes. “I’m honoured.”

“This truly isn’t an attack, Aster,” Rogers said softly

“The fact you of all people are questioning me and my motives, after  _ everything _ you knew about me, everything we’ve been through together? Yeah, feels a _little_ like an attack, Steve,” she replied, shaking her head at him as she fought the hurt.

Aster remembered back to when he was a small alpha in Brooklyn and would go into a rut. She remembered helping him through them, her eyes drifting to Bucky, and remembering his ruts as well. Though she knew Bucky was simply going along with the group, he was more aware of her past. But the fact that Steve could act as if she were the enemy hurt and questioning whether she was a threat to all of them made her ache. Burying her emotions, she turned as Stark spoke.

Tony watched emotions cross over her face, and said, “All right, I have a question. What are you?”

Aster stiffened as if she had been slapped and turned to stare at him; the rest of the room tensed in response. Next to her, T’Challa put a hand on her shoulder and Okoye shot the billionaire a look full of daggers. Aster’s face was a mixture of anger and hurt. “Not who, but  _ what _ ,” she replied, her voice pulled low. “You wonder why I didn’t want this conversation, Tony? And you know what? No.  _ Fuck you _ . You don’t deserve that answer.”

Rubbing his eyes, Stark groaned, tapped a few buttons and pulled up a picture of her as the soldiers remembered her. “I only meant… You weren’t frozen in ice, or put in suspension like Barnes. I don’t understand how you look basically the same.”

“And information like that is earned, Mr. Stark,” T’Challa said into the silence.

“I’m sorry, how do you two even know each other?” Tony asked the question that was burning on everyone’s mind.

T’Challa smiled at Aster and took her hand, squeezing it gently. “When I was a child, she saved my father from an ambush,” he explained.

“I had been working for the UN as a translator, and was on my way home from work,” Aster explained. “I glanced down an alley and heard the sounds of a fight. I had to see if someone needed help, and I found T’Chaka’s guards dead, and more enemies closing in.”

“Aster joined the fight, and my father noticed her ability,” T’Challa continued. “Just before the last attacker was killed, he drove a spear into Aster’s chest; even with her healing abilities, it could have been a deadly wound if my father had left her there.”

She smiled and met the King’s eyes. “T’Chaka was curious about my ability and grateful for my help; he had been betrayed by one of his guards,” Aster explained. “So, he took me back to Wakanda where they helped my own healing. He and I spoke for a long time, and I was welcomed there.”

“Every one of my people, down to the youngest child, know what Aster looks like,” T’Challa explained. “If she arrives anywhere in our lands, she is to be brought to the palace.”

“And why is that necessary? For everyone to know what she looks like?” Bruce asked in confusion.

“Because I’ve shown up there, barely able to move,” Aster whispered.

“From me?” Bucky asked gently, as if afraid to know the answer.

She spared him a gentle smile and shook her head. “No, not you,” she assured. “Believe me, I’ve had worse done to me than what you did.”

“Aster has arrived at one of our villages, bleeding and barely conscious; her body split open in so many places, we were uncertain how she was still alive,” T’Challa explained. “Even with her own healing abilities, it took time until she was well.”

“When was this?” Steve asked gently.

“Just before the attack on New York,” Aster replied with a wry smile. “I argued with them to let me leave, to help, but…”

“But you were in no condition,” Okoye replied. “You could barely stand; you came to us only the night before.”

Aster sighed and nodded in agreement. “I know. But I still wanted to help,” she argued, watching as the other woman rolled her eyes; it was an old argument between them. Aster shuddered suddenly and drew away from the Wakandans, looking outside. “Ah, I see you called them,” Aster said with a wry grin as she glanced at Tony.

“Called who?” Steve asked in confusion.

“I sent out a message to see if we could get some help to figure things out,” Stark replied. “And I realized that Aster has never met one of the members of our team. But, it seems, that may have been on purpose; wasn’t it?”

Before Aster could reply, the door opened, and the Asgardian brothers walked in. She studied the pair, dark and light, and shook her head as shock spread across their features. “Hello, Uncles,” she greeted smoothly.


	6. Chapter 6

Surprise rippled through the room as nearly everyone stared between the trio. “Uncles?” Steve asked softly.

“Ástríðr,” Thor breathed, voice choked with emotion.

“No. I haven’t been her for many years,” she replied darkly, glaring at the newcomers. “My name is Aster now.”

“We thought you dead, little one,” Loki said softly.

She nodded, a small, humourless smile on her lips. “I know, and that had continued to be my plan,” she agreed. “It’s why I haven’t made my presence known back in Asgard. And why I’ve stayed away when you’ve been on Earth.”

“Wait, you’re Asgardian?” Bruce asked in confusion.

“Only half,” Aster replied as she looked at him and shook her head in denial. “My mother was Hela; Thor and Loki’s sister, and she was…crazy. Locked away by my grandfather for centuries, the family decided to release her from her imprisonment temporarily at my grandmother’s insistence, to see if she had learned her lesson. She was actually doing well; spending time on Midgard… Here, on Earth, under supervision. And while here, she fell in love, much to everyone’s surprise.” Aster shook her head and snorted. “A human managed to capture her heart, by not being impressed by who she was, and what she could do; she was astounded. No one could have been more surprised than my grandfather that she did not simply kill him for being insolent towards her, but during those times, she was female, alpha or not here on Earth. They managed to impress one another and fell in love.” Aster stared at her uncles and shook her head sadly. “When I was born…” She sighed and turned to stare outside. “What is that saying? A mother never knows true love until the birth of her child? Or some such nonsense. I can attest it is a lie. I was born the family disappointment; an omega, half-human, into a family of alphas. Mother was…disinterested in me from the moment she birthed me. If it wasn’t for my father, and my grandmother, I would have been left abandoned somewhere.”

“Ástríðr…” Thor began, but when she growled at him, he sighed. “Aster, that is not true.”

“From  _ your _ perspective,” she said with narrowed eyes. Turning back to the others, she continued. “My father fell ill when I was...eight? It’s been a long time, I try not to think back to then. A human illness at any rate and my grandfather refused him Asgard’s help to heal him. And when he died…”

“When he died, Hela reverted to what we knew her as before; a goddess of destruction,” Loki continued when her voice died off. “Hela began what came to be known as… I believe your people call it the War of 1870.” There were various sounds of disbelief around the room as he continued. “We managed to contain her again before she destroyed the planet, but the devastation had been begun.”

Thor grimaced. “Our family has been causing damage to your planet for a number of years.”

The room fell silent and Aster stared out the window while the group processed the information. “So, that’s how you’re able to heal, but why you still get injured?” Steve asked. “Why you never let Bruce tend to you.”

Aster nodded and glanced at him. “It still hurts like a bitch, and my bones will break, but they’ll heal after a few hours,” she admitted. “It’s rare I need intervention; the only times I have in recent times, I’ve gone to Wakanda. A spear near my heart seemed a good time to get help. Flayed nearly alive, another good time. But, it’s not information I like to share, because…”

“That’s what Hydra used against you,” Bucky said quietly, watching her closely. When she nodded, he rubbed a hand over his face. “I could hear you screaming, but I never knew what they were doing, and back then…”

“It barely registered,” Aster said softly, hearing the horror in his voice. “You were too far under their power, I know.” Letting out a long sigh, she shuddered and spared a small smile to T’Challa who touch her arm. “They were trying to see where the electrical power came from if they could draw it out or extract it. It’s in my cells and tied to my ability to use the seidr, and I refused to use it when they wanted me to. It only served to piss them off, but I wasn’t going to let them use that power for them. Not even after…” Her hand ran over her stomach and she shook her head. “I just wouldn’t. I told them to kill me if they wanted, but I wouldn’t work for them.”

“Why didn’t they put you in the chair?” Bucky asked, his voice unsteady.

She knew it couldn’t be easy to remember back to his time there, and she shrugged. “They did,” she confirmed and watched as he startled. “But it didn’t work on me; my genetics were different enough. It only worked to make them even angrier. It’s when they started…” Aster stared at him, and her look conveyed enough that he nodded in response.

“Started what?” Tony asked, frowning at the silent communication.

Aster spared him a humourless grin. “Nothing you need to worry about,” she replied. He growled lowly at her and she returned it with bared teeth. “Don’t think you can intimidate me, Stark. I’ve spent my entire life being thought of as less and fighting against it. Believe me, there’s nothing you can say or do to bully any information from me I don’t want to give. So, let’s move on, shall we?”

“Take a breath, everyone,” Bruce advised, his voice soothing.

“I agree. Calm heads are needed before the situation spirals,” T’Challa added.

Running a hand through his hair, Thor drew her attention back to him. “Heimdall cannot see you,” he said with a heavy frown.

“Is that unusual?” Clint asked with a frown, watched as the short woman grinned.

“The Gatekeeper can see every other soul in the known realm,” Loki explained. “The fact he cannot see her clearly is…unheard of. When Stark contacted Thor, we asked Heimdall, and he said he knew there was someone else in the room with all of you, but he could not see who.”

Aster shrugged slightly. “One of the few gifts Mother gave me; he is only aware of me if I want him to be,” she replied. “The last time I wanted him to know, I was on Asgard. Since leaving, I have kept myself hidden.”

“I still don’t understand why, Aster,” Thor said softly.

“Because aside from Frigga, not one of you ever made me feel like you were my family; I felt like I was your burden,” she replied. “I was a reminder of Hela’s mistakes. Frigga was the one who taught me how to fight, how to work with the seidr. And I’ve kept in touch with her.”

“Mother knew you lived?” Loki asked in surprise.

Aster grinned at him with raised brows. “She's the Queen of Asgard and raised by witches; you really think she shares everything with the men in her life?”

T’Challa’s communication bracelet beeped and he looked a question at Aster, who nodded at him. He excused himself from the room, and Aster let out a long sigh. “I don’t feel like answering any more questions right now,” she said wearily.

“Are you going to leave?” Steve asked gently.

“Please don’t,” Loki added quickly before she could answer.

Running her hands through her hair, she looked around the room. “My room and things are at the Tower,” she replied simply.

“I can get your things; we have plenty of room here,” Natasha offered gently.

Aster looked a question at Bucky, who gave a small nod of understanding as T’Challa came back in, staring at her. “I’m afraid I am needed back home. You are welcome to join me,” he offered, giving a stare to the others with a slight challenge to question him.

“Thank you, but I think I’ll stick around for a little while,” Aster replied, eyeing the group warily.

T’Challa nodded and smiled. He pressed several beads into her hand and hugged her, whispering into her ear and when he pulled back, he cupped her cheek. “Remember, you are always welcome.”

Aster nodded, then hugged Okoye and watched them leave. She let out a breath and turned to the other woman who was left in the room. “Clothes, my bathroom stuff, my music,” Aster said softly. “All my electronics are scrambled, so no problems there.”

“Speaking of, can you call Hill and Fury?”

She snorted at Stark and grinned. “Tired of them badgering you?”

“Jarvis has been keeping them at bay, but it’d be nice. I’ll get you a new phone as soon as I can,” Tony agreed.

Aster nodded and started to walk towards Bucky, dodging her uncles and Roger’s hands as they tried to touch her arm. “I’ll be with Barnes, in his room, and I’ll call from there,” she announced, following the alpha out, ignoring the growls from the other men.

Once inside his room, she sat down at his desk and said, “Jarvis, patch me through to…Fury, first, I guess.”

The Director picked up on the first ring, his face appearing on the wall screen. “Where the  _ hell _ have you been? Are you all right?”

“Good to see you too, Nick,” Aster replied tiredly. She noticed Hill in the background and offered a small smile. “Maria.”

“What’s happened?”

“Secrets are out; some of them, anyway,” Aster replied. “Steve and Bucky recognized me; the team tried an intervention. It didn’t go well.”

Fury snorted. “Reports of a broken window at Stark Tower, and a street chase; I’d say no, not well at all. Off-world arrival from Asgard…” He studied her, then noticed the background. “Where are you?”

“With Barnes. Yes, I’m all right; no, I don’t feel like discussing it,” Aster replied. She ran her hands through her hair and sighed. “Honestly, I’m here, I’m alive, and I haven’t taken off for Wakanda to hide. So far, it’s more of an improvement than I expected. And I want nothing more than to go to sleep.”

“Get some rest, Aster. And call if you need us; if you manage to get a phone,” Maria said gently.

“Stark says he’s providing me with one. Whenever I get it, I’ll have to take it apart to see what spyware he puts on it.”

“We’ll call you on Barnes’ for now,” Fury agreed.

Aster nodded. “Thanks.” Hanging up, she let out a long sigh and pushed to her feet. Turning, she eyed the man who stood patiently waiting with a cautious face.

“Why me?” he asked curiously.

“Because you know, better than anyone right now, what I’ve been through; at least some of it,” she replied, unable to meet his eyes. “And I know you want to know, but you’re not pushing for answers.”

“After what I put you through…”

Aster closed the distance between them and put her hand over his lips, shaking her head. “It wasn’t you,” she assured. “Everything that Hydra made you do; none of it was your fault. I know that, and deep down, so do you.” She stepped into his body and hugged him, letting out a long breath at his familiar scent that wrapped around her. “I’m so tired right now…”

Bucky hugged her to him, buried his nose into her hair and inhaled; though she smelled like a beta, deep down, he could smell the omega he used to know. “Do you want me to curl up with you?” When she nodded, he smiled slightly, stroking her hair. Though she was one of the most dominant people he knew, Aster had a tender side he knew she hated to admit to and had since he had known her. Bucky did a quick math calculation in his head and grinned, kissing her forehead as he glanced down at her. “You realize that you’re robbing the cradle, right, Doll?”

Aster burst out laughing but couldn’t argue with him; she was older by him by several decades. Looking up, she stroked his cheek and the stubble that decorated it. “What can I say, I guess I take after my mother in that regard,” she replied. “Where’s your room?”

Bucky led her up the stairs and into his bedroom where he turned to face her; she was in charge. Aster knew what he was doing and let out a relieved sigh. “I just want to feel your skin against mine, and sleep,” she said quietly.

He removed his clothes, climbed under the covers and leaned against the headboard patiently. Bucky watched as she tossed her clothes into a pile and slid in next to him. When Aster turned away from him, Bucky curled up against her back and pulled her body against his and held tight. “Sleep, Doll. You’re safe,” he murmured, kissing the back of her head.

“Thank you,” she replied sleepily.

“Don’t thank me,” Bucky replied. “I should have been protecting you all along.”

Aster pulled his arms tighter and she let out a contented sound. “Don’t make me keep shushing you, soldier,” she growled softly. “You’re doing it now.”

He chuckled and nodded, curling himself around her and feeling her relax, letting herself fall asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Bucky heard the door to his rooms open, knowing only one person had the key to come to check on him, so he waited. It was some time after midnight, but he and Aster had gone to bed early; they had been there for a few hours already. Steve appeared in the bedroom’s doorway, and Bucky watched him inhale deeply. He knew the other alpha was trying to see if the pair had had sex. Part of him bristled; they had shared Aster years ago without jealousy, but that was before Steve had been exposed to the serum, and Barnes wasn’t sure what to expect.

“Is she all right?” Steve finally asked in a whisper.

“Upset,” Bucky replied. He saw the pain in his best friend’s face and watched it crumble and realized suddenly what was wrong. Roger’s hadn’t been scenting for sex at all, as he first thought. Tia had been close to both men and losing her had made such an impact on them both. To find out she was alive, and that Steve had been around her for years without knowing; the other alpha was in pain. “If you get close enough, she still smells the same.”

Kicking off his shoes, Steve pulled off his shirt; he needed to feel her skin against him. He got onto the bed carefully, not wanting to wake her, and coaxed her until she curled onto his chest. They had never been together after he had been given the serum, and she seemed so tiny now in his arms. Burying his face deep into her hair he let out a contented sigh; her changed scent was there, but Bucky was right, buried deep, was the omega he knew.

Bucky watched Steve relax as the other alpha got comfortable and he continued to breathe in her scent as if reassuring himself she was real. Barnes stroked a hand down her side and smiled slightly. “Get some sleep, Punk,” he said softly.

Steve nodded and let out a long sigh. “Thank you for letting me join you.”

“She might not be as happy in the morning, so get some sleep.”

*****

Aster woke slowly, surrounded by warmth and familiar scents. She relaxed for a minute, then the events of yesterday came rushing back and she pushed to sit up, looking down to see both men watching her carefully. Steve wore sweatpants and lay on top of the covers, and she had no idea when he had joined them; that thought made her panic. Keeping the sheet wrapped around her, Aster pushed to her feet and walked away from the bed.

“Breathe, Doll,” Bucky said quietly.

“Why did you come, Steve?” she asked, voice breathy as she fought the panic and turned to glare at the blond alpha. “You spent hours basically accusing me of being an enemy, and not trustworthy, and then you show up to cuddle while I’m asleep? _Really_?”

Steve studied her carefully, then asked, “Why did you go to Bucky?”

“Because even with our history, as complicated as it is, I trust him to keep me safe,” she replied softly. “And he wasn’t judging me. So, I’ll ask again; why did you show up, Steve?”

“Because a part of me died when you went missing,” he replied solemnly, moving to sit on the foot of the bed. “And to find out that you’re still alive? Part of me yesterday was angry, and yeah, I trusted you a little less. Because you didn’t trust me enough to tell me you were alive.”

Aster shook her head, even as his confession hurt her. “Seventy years you were gone, Steve,” she said quietly. “A lot happened, even before you went missing. Hydra took me before the end of the war for the first time and started their experiments then, prior to my first escape. I didn’t have to use my abilities to get out, so they didn’t know what I could do, yet.”

Bucky pulled on his jeans and walked over slowly to pull her into his arms. “You used it when you were trying to get me out, didn’t you?” he asked quietly.

“I knew I could kill them quietly, to get to where they were holding you,” she replied with a nod, glancing up at him. “But… You didn’t know who I was. Then I saw the chair and realized what they were doing to you. I knew it would take work to get you to remember, and I could work with that, but you wouldn’t come with me.”

“And by then, they’d found the people she had killed,” Bucky explained to Steve. “During one of the times, they captured her and managed to hold her. I wasn’t in the same room, they had me standing just outside, but… I could hear her screaming.”

“I’m not really an omega anymore; I have one ovary left, it’s why my scent shifted,” Aster explained. “They had already done a few small cuts by then and discovered I healed quickly. So, for that…” She swallowed and shuddered. “They didn’t drug me, just tied me down. Their one mistake was they loosened the ropes after surgery, assuming I wouldn’t heal as fast from something that serious.”

“You killed them after.” Steve made the statement.

She nodded, a grim smile on her face. “The main officers had left, taken Bucky with them. I ran. I did need time to recover a bit, but I wasn’t going to do it there.” Aster shook her head and burrowed into Bucky’s chest. “It wasn’t the first time they cut into me, but it was the most…”

Bucky rubbed his chin across her head. “It changed her the most,” he finished for her. “They had her hostage another time, and when they knew she wouldn’t kill me, sent me in to beat her, repeatedly. Seeing her now, I wasn’t sure how she would take it, but…”

“I will always remind him; what Hydra made him do wasn’t his fault,” Aster assured.

Steve watched the pair, envious that even after all they had been through, they still shared a closeness together. “Aster, I’m sorry. For yesterday, for everything I said,” he said softly. “When Bucky said you had survived, I was so happy. But when I realized I’d been working with you, and you’d never told me… I just couldn’t understand why you’d never told me. I was right there, all this time, and you kept away.”

She heard the hurt in his voice, and Aster pulled away from the alpha in her arms to face Steve. “Because you remember the omega, Tia, and I’m not her, Steve,” she replied. “Hydra made sure of that.”

“You being an omega had nothing to do with it, Aster,” he argued, his voice soft. “It’s _you_ I missed. Just you.” He stood and approached her slowly, reaching out to cup her face with one hand, watching as she flinched slightly. “I could never hurt you, Aster. I don’t miss you because I missed sleeping with you during my ruts. I missed your sense of humour, your laugh, your smile; I missed all of you, not just parts.”

“I didn’t know if you could accept what I’ve done,” Aster replied, turning her face into his hand. “Steve, I’ve killed people. A lot of people. And I was never who you thought I was.”

He chuckled softly, stroking her cheek with his thumb. “Half-Asgardian, huh?” he asked with a grin.

“I told her she’s robbing the cradle with us, and that’s hard to do,” Bucky added.

Aster laughed and glanced between the men. “Does it bother you? That I’m not fully human?” she asked softly.

“It doesn’t change who you’ve always been,” Bucky replied.

“But I do think you need to talk to your uncles,” Steve added with a frown. “I don’t know what the history you have with them is, but you’ve let a lot of people think you were dead for a long time.”

Nodding, Aster let out a long sigh and ran her hands through her hair. “Jarvis, where did Natasha leave my things?”

“Downstairs in Sergeant Barnes’ quarters,” came the AI’s voice.

“Thank you,” she said with a sigh. “Right now, I need a shower, some food, and then… Then I’ll look at talking to them.”

“Do you want either of us there?” Bucky asked, reaching out to rub her back.

Aster leaned back into his hand, leaned into Steve’s, which was still on her cheek, and said, “If you’re close by, I’d appreciate it.”

The men nodded, and Bucky went to get her things before they left her alone. Aster took her time and dressed much the same as she had the day before, foregoing the leather jacket for now. She noted her vibranium rings were missing since she woke up and frowned; she would have to ask Stark for those back.

Finding the Super Soldiers in the kitchen, Aster smiled to see they had prepared a large breakfast. They ate and spoke casually until she leaned back in her chair. “Jarvis, where are Thor and Loki?”

“They are outside, near the landing bay, with Mr. Stark.”

Nodding, she let out a sigh. “Thank you.”

Steve reached over to take her hand, squeezing it gently. “We’ll stay close, but won’t interfere,” he promised.

Aster smiled and nodded at him. “Thank you.”

She led the way through the compound and found the trio of men where the AI had described. With a final look to the soldiers, Aster approached her uncles and Stark, who studied her warily. “Morning, gentlemen.”

“I was just giving your family an update, as to what you’ve been doing the last few years,” Stark told her. “At least, as far as I’m aware. I’m sure there’s a lot I don’t know.” When the woman smiled tightly and shrugged, the beta narrowed his eyes and sighed. “I’ll leave you all to get reacquainted.”

Thor nodded and watched him walk away, and noticed the soldiers not far, their attention focussed on Aster. “I see you have made amends with the Captain,” Thor said quietly.

Her eyes followed his, and when both of the alphas smiled at her from where they sat on the grass, she couldn’t help but return the grin as she turned back to her uncles. “I have a long history with Steve. Bucky too,” Aster replied. “His anger was more that I hadn’t told him I was still alive and was keeping secrets, not that he actually distrusted me.”

“And what about not telling us?” Loki replied with a growl. “Do you think the soldiers were the only ones wounded by your lies?”

At his growl, Aster heard Steve and Bucky stand, and she stared at her uncle, her face blank. “Being lectured on lies by the master of trickery. That’s rich. And am I supposed to feel bad?” she wondered aloud. “Growing up, my father was dead. My mother was locked away. I trailed after you both, but you had little time for a child between your battles, training, and your own business. I wanted you to train me to fight, but omegas didn’t need to know that; those were your words to me, Thor. I wanted to learn magic from you, Loki, but again, it wasn’t necessary for me to know.” She stared at the men and noticed at her words they now wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Frigga taught me both those skills. Neither of you could be bothered to teach me even to ride a horse. And yet now you claim that I was so important to you? _How_ , exactly?”

“Ástríðr…” Thor started, but she cut him off.

“I’ve already told you, she is dead; my name is Aster,” she snapped at him.

He glowered at her and couldn’t help the growl that slipped out. “You paint your life on Asgard as a horrible time,” Thor growled.

Steve and Bucky appeared at her sides, the dark-haired alpha sliding a hand to rest at her back. “Family or not; change your tone,” Bucky growled at the Asgardians.

Aster shook her head at the soldiers' protective nature and sighed slightly at the men in front of her. “You see me as a child, even now,” she said to her uncles. “I’ve been tortured; both because of what I can do and what I was. Maybe if I’d had more training, I could have fought harder or better to get free. But I’ll never know, will I? Do you want to know why I argued with T’Challa to let me get to New York?”

The Asgardians startled at the sudden change in subject, but Thor obliged her. “Why?”

“Because I thought I might be able to get through to Loki,” she said with a snort, shaking her head. “I had seen the scepter, and I knew he was under the control of it. I thought I might be able to free him from it, shock him into reality if I could just see him. Childish thoughts, really.”

Loki stared at her and shook his head. “It might have worked, little one,” he admitted softly.

“It doesn’t matter now,” she added with a shrug. “The idyllic memories you have of me as a child, I simply don’t share, gentlemen. You can stay if you want, and get to know me for who I am now, or you can go back home. Either way, it matters little to me.”

She turned on her heel and left, leaving the Asgardians dumbfounded that there was no trace of the child they remembered in the woman walking away.

Aster made it inside and headed straight for the gym, knowing the soldiers were behind her, but walked straight to one of the punching bags and hit it hard enough to send sand flying.

Steve saw blood burst across her knuckles, over the punching bag, and he rushed to her side. He took her hand and cradled it gently, saw she had split the skin, but it seemed to be healing even as he watched. “Aster, deep breaths,” he said quietly, reaching up to cup her face. “I know you’re angry with them.”

“You’ve given them choices, it’s up to them now, Doll,” Bucky added.


	8. Chapter 8

Aster closed her eyes and forced herself to take a deep, cleansing breath. Bucky and Steve were both right, of course, but she was remembering now why she stayed away from her family for so long; they drove her crazy and underestimated her side of things. The men of her family always had.

Bucky’s cell phone buzzed and he pulled it out, glanced at the number and frowned. “Director Fury, what can I do for you?”

“Is Jackson nearby?”

Grinning, he nodded. “She’s right here.” Bucky handed over his phone to her.

“What can I do for you?” Aster asked, grinning as the men gave her some room.

“Well, we haven’t had any reports of bodies turning up out there, but I still thought I’d check in and see how you were doing,” he replied with a chuckle. “If you needed me to send in Hill to get you out of there.”

Aster laughed and sat on a bench, rubbing one hand along her neck. “No, no bodies yet,” she confirmed. “If my uncles keep it up, you’ll find one of them somewhere. No, check that, you’d never find them.”

“Oh good, an intergalactic incident to watch out for,” Fury quipped.

“Not technically. I’m related, so it’s just a family squabble,” Aster reminded him. She sighed heavily and shook her head. “No extractions, but I’ll keep you updated if that changes.”

“Good. Keep in touch.”

Aster grinned to herself at the fact he never said goodbye and pulled the phone away from her ear. She looked up at the men who wore curious expressions. “What?”

“Can I ask a question?” Bucky asked carefully. When she nodded, he continued. “Why Fury?”

She sighed slightly. “Honestly? Because he doesn’t ask questions,” Aster replied simply. “He never really has. There were originally some files on me in SHIELD, and once he got there, he destroyed them. It became need-to-know. He knows, Coulson, and Maria. That’s is.”

“That’s taking a risk,” Steve said softly.

“It’s keeping me safe,” Aster replied with a shrug. “The fewer people who know about me, the less chance of a leak. But you asked why? I can call, and Fury won’t ask me what’s wrong, or why I need a pick-up. He just asks me when and where. There’s no long discussions. He just arranges what I need. I adore Maria, but even she will ask a little bit more.”

“Like when you signalled at the Tower,” Bucky said with a small smile. “And how the hell did you do that, anyway?”

Aster laughed. “All of my equipment, I set up how I like. And everything has a panic button.”

“I’m sorry you felt you had to use it,” Steve said quietly. He ran his hand along the back of his neck and blew out a long breath. “I need to go, but I’ll talk to you later.”

She watched him leave and turned with a small frown to look at Bucky, who stared after his best friend with a sad expression. “Did I do something?”

Immediately the alpha smiled gently and shook his head, reaching out to stroke her cheek. “No, you did nothing wrong,” Bucky assured. “But, I think being around you has brought about another...interesting complication.”

Aster frowned until Steve’s retreating scent reached her and her eyes widened. “But… He can’t be going into a rut because of me,” she whispered. “Bucky, I’m… I’m not an omega anymore,” she whispered.

“You might not have heats anymore, Aster, but deep down, when we get close enough? You still smell the same,” Bucky replied gently, his other hand taking one of hers. “And he doesn’t want to put any pressure on you, that’s why he left. Like you said; you’re not the same woman anymore.”

She looked up at him and chewed her lip, turning into his hand. “It’s not just that. Bucky, what Hydra did to me, changed me physically; I don’t have heats. I don’t respond the same way I used to,” Aster confessed. “I adore you both, I always have, and I always will, I just… I’m just worried how you’ll both respond.”

He smiled at her, his face soft, and sighed slightly. “You will _always_ be our Tia,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

Standing on tiptoe, Aster kissed him quickly and drew back. “Let me go look after him,” she whispered against his lips. When he nodded, she walked away and headed to the lab first. Swallowing hard, she lay on a bed and said, “Jarvis, run a full scan of reproductive organs, please.”

There was a short pause, before the AI said, “Miss Jackson…”

“I know, there isn’t much left, but I want scans to show Doctor Banner,” she agreed. “Speaking of, can you ask him to meet me here?”

“Doctor Banner is already on his way.”

Aster nodded and stood, staring at the scans of her internal organs, frowning slightly. “Is any of the scar tissue visible to you, Jarvis?”

“I can overlay it.”

The AI did just that, and her breath caught at the damage suddenly visible, unseen by the naked eye. Aster rubbed her stomach absently as the door opened. She glanced over but stiffened when Banner was joined by Stark. “Gentlemen,” she greeted.

“Jarvis said you wanted…” Bruce’s eyes were drawn to the scan.

Tony walked towards it and started sorting through the layers of scars, saying softly, “J, lay them out by age.”

Aster blushed and backed away, letting the men examine it, knowing it could not be avoided and had invited the scrutiny. She forced herself to stand straight and meet their eyes as they turned to look at her.

“They carved into you more than once,” Tony said softly.

Aster shrugged and looked at the screen. “It was more than Hydra,” she replied. “Different people, different species, all looking for the same thing; the source of my abilities.”

“But Hydra sterilized you,” Bruce stated.

“I started going into heat at one point; they didn’t want to deal with it,” she agreed. “But, that was part of why I wanted to see you now, Bruce. According to Steve and Bucky, I still smell like an omega.”

“Rogers called me, and he’s out of commission with a rut,” Tony confirmed, giving a small nod at her.

Aster nodded. “Problem is…” She walked over and moved all of the scar tissue out of the way on her scan to show what was left of her reproductive organs; one ovary. “My body doesn’t respond the same; I don’t think I can take a knot easily right now.”

Bruce nodded in understanding and walked over to a cabinet. Opening a drawer, he pulled out a tube and handed it to her. “I’d tell you to be careful, but given your healing abilities and knowing what Steve is like, I don’t think you’ll be injured,” he said with a small smile. “This lubricant should make it so that you’re comfortable, but if at any point there’s pain, stop.”

Taking the bottle she nodded smiled, laughing internally at the idea of trying to stop an alpha mid-rut, but knowing Steve was likely the exception. “Thank you.”

Tucking the bottle into her back pocket, Aster made her way to Steve’s rooms and let out a sigh at his door. “Jarvis, open the door please.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Aster knew Steve would argue her being there if she simply locked, so having the AI do it for her was simply easier. Once she was inside, she stood in the relative quiet, overwhelmed by Steve’s scent; his rut had come on fast and hard, and she could hear his shower running as she walked farther into the living area. She knew when he scented her; the water stopped and he appeared at the top of the stairs, wet, a towel around his waist.

“You need to go,” he growled.

She stalked up the stairs, putting an extra sway in her hips, and shook her head. “No, I’m exactly where I should be,” she replied.

Steve waited until she was at the top of the stairs and pinned her to the wall, shaking his head. “I don’t want your pity, Aster.”

The low timber to his voice made her shiver. “You don’t have it,” she whispered, shaking her head. “I was worried I’d disappoint you because I’m not… I had to go to the lab and get lube, because I’m not like I used to be; I can’t take a knot without help,” she explained brokenly. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to.”


	9. Chapter 9

Steve’s head cleared slightly at her words and he loosened his grip to lift her against his body, even with his face so he could nuzzle her cheek and sighed. “You don’t have to do this,” he assured her. “I can get through this alone.”

“I don’t want you to,” she replied, stroking along his damp skin and hair, nipping at his ear. She heard him groan softly and grinned. Though he had cuddled against her to sleep without a shirt on, she had not been paying much attention and now admired the changes the serum had made to his body.

Wrapping his arms around her, Steve carried her through to his room and kicked the door closed so he could press her against it. A deep rumble came from his chest as he pulled her shirt over her head, his mouth attacking her flesh. He bit gently into her skin and watched as the pink marks faded, the animal side of him growling deep inside. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he murmured.

Aster smiled, stroking his face. “You won’t,” she assured. “You can’t. Whatever fantasies you’ve ever had about an omega, do it, Steve.”

He turned his face into her hand and kissed her wrist gently, nuzzling the tender skin there as his head cleared for a moment. “You’ll tell me if I hurt you?” he asked. “Just promise me that. I know you’ll heal, but I need you to promise me.”

“I promise.” She squeaked in surprise as he pulled her away from the door and walked over to drop her on the bed, making her laugh. Aster pulled the bottle of lube from her pocket before Steve pulled on the button of her jeans and yanked them off, tossing them and her underwear aside.

Aster knew he was fighting with himself to simply take her, and she reached for the lube to coat her hands, pulled off his towel and sat up. Steve growled at her as it forced him away from her skin until she wrapped her hands around his erection and started to stroke him. Aster watched him throw his head back and she kissed along his abs, marvelled at how firm his body was, as she made certain he was coated enough that her body could take him without issue.

Her hands gripping him drove Steve wild, and he snarled, pressing her back onto the mattress and claiming her mouth. Aster lay pliant under his hands and moaned into his mouth, wrapping her legs around his hips. When he drew back, she murmured, “How do you want me, alpha?”

“On your knees, omega. Present for me,” he growled.

Aster smiled and nodded. It was a position that back when Steve was smaller, he had wanted, but never had the power to enjoy; said it made him feel inadequate because they were nearly the same size. Now he was so much larger and loomed over her, and Aster knew it satisfied the dominant part of his brain. She lowered her face near her hands on the mattress and raised her hips towards him, wiggling them slightly, watched over her shoulder as his eyes darkened. “Alpha, please,” she whispered.

Steve had enough presence of mind to take the bottle of lube still sitting next to them and coat his fingers, slowly thrusting them deep inside of her. He coated her, then withdrew his hand and guided himself, his other hand reaching forward to hold her neck still.

Wordless sounds fell from Aster’s mouth as her body stretched to accommodate him; she knew, from holding him in her hands that the serum had changed every part of his body. Having him thrust in between her legs was an entirely different experience. Steve didn’t stop until his hips were snug against hers and he rested his forehead against her neck, breathing heavily. “You feel amazing,” he breathed. “I don’t want to stop.”

“Then don’t, Steve,” she replied. “Take what you need; I promise, I’m okay.”

A sound came from deep in his chest as he started to move, one hand gripping her hip tightly, the other still holding her neck. Sweat dripped from his body and the only sounds that filled the room were animalistic grunts, Aster’s pleasured sounds, and their bodies slapping together.

Aster smiled as he adjusted his thrusts until she cried out, her body gripping his tightly, and he nipped her shoulder. She knew he had been searching for it, and even in the middle of his rut, wanted to make certain she still received pleasure. Feeling his knot swelling, Aster gripped the bedding and held on as his thrusts became harder and shorter, her entire body sliding along the sheets. His hand on her hip slipped down to stroke her clit, and she cried out.

“Come for me; let me knot you,” he growled. His fingers continued to stroke her, and his body hit just the right way, and Aster screamed out his name, her body tightening around him as pleasure washed over. Steve groaned and with one hard thrust felt his knot release, snugging his hips against hers and rocked them together as his orgasm rolled over him in stuttering waves.

Aster moaned as his knot locked them together, feeling so full she shuddered; it had been so long since she had helped either Steve or Bucky, and she had never taken another alpha. She had forgotten the feeling, and how wonderful it could feel, her own pleasure prolonged as he continued to stroke her as his body shuddered into hers.

When he finally calmed and came to rest against her back, Steve braced both arms on the mattress, their bodies locked together, and he panted near her ear. “I’m going to roll us over, Aster,” he breathed. She nodded, and he held her tightly while he settled them on their sides, his hands stroking along her skin as he kissed along her shoulder. “Thank you.”

Chuckling, Aster grinned and turned to look at him slightly over her shoulder. “Believe me, it was my pleasure,” she purred. She reached back and ran her hand along his hip, his skin feeling cooler to the touch than when she had arrived. “How long do you ruts usually last now? Back in Brooklyn, I remember it was only a couple of days.”

“Around four now,” he replied. “But that’s without an omega; I usually ignore them.”

She frowned at him and shook her head. “Why? You can’t tell me that you’d have problems finding a willing omega.”

Steve buried his nose in the back of her neck, into her hair, and inhaled deeply. “None of them smelled right,” he whispered.

Aster smiled slightly as his arms wrapped tightly around her, one coming up to cup one of her breasts and his hips rocked into hers again. She smiled as Steve wrapped one arm under her head and hugged her tightly to him, and she stroked her hand along the arm wrapped around her chest. “I’m not going anywhere, alpha,” she assured gently. “Sleep.”

A contented rumble came from his chest and he settled against her body. The comfort and heat of his body lulled Aster into a light sleep as well.

*****


	10. Chapter 10

Steve’s rut had broken that morning, five days after it had started. Aster showered and made her way back to her own room to change into fresh clothes; she'd spent the time in his room with not a stitch of clothing on. She ate ravenously then called Fury when Jarvis informed her the Director had been insistent on her getting in contact.

She sat at the desk in her room and activated the video caller, smiling as his agitated face appeared. “Morning, Fury.”

“And just where the hell have you been?”

Arching a brow, she grinned. “I’m sure someone told you Rogers’ rut arrived,” Aster replied. “Did you want positions…?”

“ _Hell_ no!” he exclaimed. He sighed and stared hard at her. “Are you all right?”

“Awww, you care!” she said with a grin, clutching at her chest. “Yes, I’m fine.”

He narrowed his eye at her, a small grin peeking through. “Things seem to have settled for you out there.”

Aster nodded and let out a soft sigh. “With Rogers, yes. Bucky and I are always going to be okay, I think. I haven’t had the chance to talk to the others much since the bombshell dropped, and Stark is, I think, the only unknown. My uncles…” She frowned and shook her head. “I can handle them, either way. They aren’t happy I’ve kept secrets, but if they become overbearing, then I can call in my grandmother; Frigga can sort out her boys, she’s always been able to.”

Fury chuckled and nodded. “All right then. I will stop calling unless you initiate contact,” he said with a grin. “But, don’t forget your monthly check-ins.”

“Never do, Director,” Aster agreed with a nod, watching as the screen went blank. She stretched and checked the time. “Jarvis, where are Romanov and Barton?”

“In the gym, Miss Jackson.”

Nodding, Aster changed into her workout gear and headed there to join them. The pair looked up, Natasha sparing her a grin and straightening. Aster let out a relieved sigh; she was uncertain how the pair would respond after hiding so many things for the last 2 years, especially the alpha. But the other woman seemed to accept her easily when Natasha nodded to the sparring ring with a wink, a workout they had shared for the last two years.

When they stepped panting from the ring thirty minutes, Clint handed out towels and shook his head. “Seriously, you two are crazy in there,” he commented. He raised an eyebrow at Aster and asked, “And you’re an omega? You sure about that?”

She chuckled and nodded. “Genetically, yeah, I am,” she agreed. Aster studied him and glanced at Romanov. “Is it a problem, with you two?”

The redhead shook her head and took a drink of water before she answered. “You were telling the truth earlier; not everyone knows all of my past,” Natasha agreed. “And we approached you badly; Rogers and Barnes should have handled it on their own.”

Letting out a relieved sigh, the brunette nodded. “So, we’re good?”

Clint nodded and offered her a reassuring smile. “We’re good, Aster.”

“Thank you. I’m going to hit the shower. I’ll see you guys later.” She left and headed back to her room to clean up after the workout. Knowing things were good with those she had worked closest with made Aster feel better; now the only unknown was Stark. She knew Banner would go with the majority; he was a neutral party and would not judge her on her past. She made her way to Stark's robotics lab, found him working on one of his suits, and stood silently in the doorway.

Without looking up, Tony said, “So, Cap seems to be feeling better.”

“He stopped by?”

“Yeah. Said things were better between you two. Five days of a rut, can’t imagine how you changed his mind,” he said in his usual sarcastic tone.

Aster smiled and let out a sigh. “Steve and I have a long past; five days wouldn’t change much if we didn’t have that to build from,” she reminded him. She studied his back and frowned. “What do I have to do to convince you that I’m not a threat?”

“You don’t,” he replied, turning to look at her. “We’re good.”

She frowned heavily, crossing her arms across her chest. “You were...not overly thrilled just before Steve’s rut. And now you’re okay with me, just like that? What changed?”

Tony tapped a few buttons and pulled up a multitude of electronic files in front of him, most of them videos, and turned to look at her. “Turns out, Hydra liked to film their experiments,” he replied softly. “At least, the ones they did on you. Jarvis found them.”

Aster’s skin ran cold and she stared at the transparent images that hung in the air, then back to him with wide eyes. “You watched?” When he nodded slightly, she stepped back. “Who else did you show?”

“No one,” Tony assured. “Jarvis locked them down the minute I saw what they were. And I didn’t watch them all, just enough. Rogers and Barnes don’t even know they exist.”

She swallowed hard and nodded. “Thank you,” she breathed. Aster stared at him, and when she saw pity in his eyes she flushed and looked away. “So, we’re good, Stark?”

“Yeah, Aster. We’re good.”

Nodding, she left the lab and rushed outside, needing fresh air. Quickly reaching a balcony, Aster grabbed the handrails and sucked in deep breaths of air, closing her eyes and reminding herself where she was. The files Stark had pulled up had images stilled on them; memories had come screaming to the forefront of her brain and she was trying desperately to bury them. As she took a deep breath, a familiar scent wrapped around her before his arms encircled her waist.

Bucky was surprised as she turned and wound her arms around him, holding tightly. “I’m here, Doll,” he murmured. He didn’t know what was wrong but had seen her jogging through the compound and knew something had happened. Aster shivered in his arms and clung, burying her nose into his chest to draw in more of his scent.

After several minutes, she pulled back and looked up at him. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Bucky cupped her face with both hands and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. “You never have to thank me,” he assured. “Are you alright?”

“I am now,” she agreed. “I was checking in with everyone to see if everything was okay between us. Clint and Nat are fine with me, but I was worried about Tony. While I was with Steve, he had been digging into my past, and found…” Aster shuddered and cleared her throat. “Hydra filmed their experiments on me, evidently.”

Bucky growled softly, one of his hands reached up to stroke her hair. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.

“I just didn’t realize,” she replied. “But, I wasn’t paying attention to much of anything back then.” Another scent caught her attention and Aster looked over to see Steve leaning in the doorway and she smiled faintly at him. “Hey.”

“They filmed it?” he growled, his eyes dark.

Aster let out a long sigh and left Bucky’s embrace to walk over and wrap her arms around the blond alpha, whose body was rigid. “I lived,” she reminded him. “And I’m here,  _ right _ here.”

Steve wrapped his arms around her and took in a long breath of her scent, letting it soothe him. “You’re right. I should be the one comforting you, not the other way around,” he said with a frown, pulling back to cup her cheek.

“It’s the omega side; I want to soothe you. Except when you piss me off,” she reminded me with a grin.

Laughing, Steve hugged her and twirled her around. “I have missed you, Tia,” he whispered.

Aster chuckled at the old name but looked between the men when she was back on her feet. “I’ve missed you both, I have,” she admitted. “I just wasn’t sure if you could accept who I really am.”

Bucky moved in behind her and placed a kiss against the back of her neck, biting softly on the skin, hard enough to make her shudder. Steve pressed his lips against her forehead and grinned down at her. “Aster, we accept you. And we’d take you any way you wanted,” Bucky assured.

She glanced back at him, narrowed his eyes and glanced between the men. “Well, that’s something we never did before,” she muttered, feeling her face flush as both men held her between them.

Steve grinned down at her. “Buck and I talked about it enough back then, but you went missing, and…” He shrugged. “There’s no pressure for you, just something to think about.”

Aster smiled and sank into their embrace. “I will think on it,” she promised. “Believe me, I will. But for now, let’s go watch a movie?”

Bucky pressed a kiss to the back of her head and nodded. “Sounds good.”

The trio moved to the communal area and found Clint and Nat had just popped a large bowl of popcorn and started an old war movie. Aster grinned and nodded in approval. Stark and Bruce joined not long after, debating some aspects of the accuracy of the weapons being used, which Steve and Bucky easily argued with them. Eventually, Aster noticed Thor sitting towards the back with an ale; Jarvis had informed her that Loki had returned to Asgard to apprise them of her reappearance, while her other uncle had decided to stick around to try and mend fences. She smiled but settled back down between her two alphas. The thought crossed her mind and she stopped, then chuckled to herself when she realized it was true; they were hers. And Aster didn’t mind at all.

 

 

END


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